Emergency response centres receive emergency calls

Emergency response centres receive emergency calls for the rescue, police and health and social services, and relay the information they receive to the appropriate assisting authorities or partners.

Emergency response centres also advise and guide the caller. Emergency response centres are the first step in the emergency response chain for help and safety.

The Emergency Response Centre Administration provides emergency response centre services in mainland Finland

The Emergency Response Centre Administration provides emergency response centre services throughout Finland, except for the Åland Islands. There are six emergency response centres in Finland located in Kerava, Kuopio, Oulu, Vaasa, Pori and Turku, with a common headquarters in Pori.

The Emergency Response Centre Administration is an agency under the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry is jointly responsible for the performance management of the agency together with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

The authorities involved in the operation of the emergency response centres provide the Emergency Response Centre Administration with specific instructions and plans on the handling and assigning of emergency tasks and on the subsequent processing of emergency calls or tasks within the mandate of each authority.

Reception of emergency calls harmonised through a data system 

All six emergency response centres share a single data system, ERICA. Not only the emergency response centres but also the police, rescue services, health and social services and the Border Guard use this system.

ERICA directs the emergency calls primarily to the emergency response centre nearest to the caller, but if this centre is busy, the system locates a free emergency response centre operator at some other centre.